Monday, June 9, 2008

Will there be an end to the supreme dominance of the man from mars on this planet? A question frequenting everyone’s imagination. No one dared to answer it in negation till the last year-end.

Come 2008, a new script is bared to all. So far it has been an unlike Federer year. A never imagined string of defeats, a draught of titles, accredited to mononucleosis and personal indifferent form, saw him become human. Figuring in the Australian Open semi final and the French Open Final along with the Hamburg Finals are the Oases to his deserted calendar so far. And the recent defeat against Nadal in the French Open is so battering (by a huge margin) that he figured in one of the worst defeats record ever. Round the corner, Wimbledon might just be the tournament that can bring the ‘Champion’ to his original self.

Nadal, on the other hand, has been in the form of his life in the recently concluded French Open and he looks to carry it forward into the Wimbledon and pose a threat to Federer in his own lair. Even though the surface doesn’t suit his style, Nadal has improved as an all round player, by leaps and bounds, which might push Federer out of his comfort zone. The super human strength he possesses is his best weapon against any form of Tennis and it would take a very special effort from anybody to beat Nadal, as Tsonga has shown in the Australian Open. Nadal will definitely push his limits further to have his hands around the coveted Wimbledon trophy.

Can Federer stand this rivalry is what we need to wait and see. The fact that he has reached the semis and Finals of the two Grand slams this year, even with below par performances, speaks volumes of his tennis ability (which was never in doubt). The psychological beating in the French Open Finals might have a bearing in their encounters for some time to come and he would do good to forget it at the earliest. All in all, Wimbledon seems to have a surprise package, even though, personally, I would root for Federer.